The Teacher's Billionaire

herself. That kiss with Dylan was the most amazing she’d ever experienced and the only thing she’d thought about since. Even now when she was supposed to be plugging test grades into her computer, the memory of her and Dylan in the kitchen played through her mind like a scene from a movie.
    Though she’d been nervous afterward, she’d tried to make a joke of the situation; something she often did when she was uncomfortable. Unfortunately the attempt backfired on her making things worse. In the end Dylan finished helping her clean and then left. Leaving Callie more confused than she’d ever been in her life regarding a guy.
    A man like Dylan Talbot could have his choice of women. While she knew she was attractive, she didn’t for one minute believe she was the raving beauty that men lust after. That description fit Lauren not her. So that left her wondering exactly what prompted those few delicious moments in her kitchen to occur.
    Don’t read too much into it. It’s done. It was just a fluke. Not something that will happen again.
    She’d been repeating the same thing over and over to herself. Maybe if she said it enough her brain and heart would come to a consensus. Right now the two were at odds with each other. Constantly warring with no apparent winner.
    Her brain wanted to forget or at least write off the incident. While at the same time her heart wanted to hope there was something more. Exactly what that more was she didn’t know, but she was strongly attracted to him. So strongly that if he’d been anyone else she would’ve considered pursuing him.
    But he’s not someone else.
He lives and works in an entirely different universe from mine.
A universe that didn’t always take kindly to outsiders. A lesson she’d learned as a teenager.
    Without intending to, Callie began to think about her high schools days. As a child she’d always been very athletic and did well in all sports. She’d especially excelled at softball. As a result she’d received a scholarship to attend a very ritzy private high school. At the time both she and her mother thought it would be a great opportunity. Quickly, Callie’s enthusiasm for the school dwindled. Almost all of the students there came from wealthy families and looked down on those with scholarships. While there were a few exceptions, normally the two groups didn’t associate with each other. If it hadn’t been for Lauren, who had attended the school because her father taught there, Callie never would have lasted the whole four years. She would’ve left after freshman year and never looked back.
    The chorus of her favorite Bon Jovi song pulled Callie out of her trip into the past. Looking at the caller ID on her cell phone, she wondered who was calling. It wasn’t a number she was familiar with. She didn’t even recognize the area code. For a moment she toyed with the idea of letting it go to her voice mail. If it was important the caller could leave a message, but then, on the fifth ring she answered.
    “Hello,” she greeted expecting it to be a wrong number, or worse a telemarketer.
    “Callie, am I calling at a bad time?” Dylan’s voice came over the phone.
    He’d said he would try to call during the week, but she hadn’t really thought he would. She’d chalked his comment up to politeness especially considering the kiss they’d shared. Now hearing his voice she could only once again wonder how she should read this man who invaded her dreams every night.
    “No, I’m just recording some grades. Actually I just finished.” She closed her grade book and saved the computer file she had open.
    “School must be almost done for the summer?”
    “Um, yeah. Just a few more weeks.” Callie didn’t know in what direction their conversation was going. “Are you still in Boston?”
    “No, I flew back to New York this morning.”
    “Oh.” She hoped he didn’t detect the disappointment in her voice. While it wasn’t realistic to think he would stop by again, she had secretly hoped he would. In an attempt to make small talk and keep him on the phone she continued. “How’s the weather there?”
    Did I really just ask him that? Could I sound any dumber?
    “Gorgeous night. Perfect for a ball game. Jake’s over at Yankee Stadium now. He wanted me to join him.”
    “Lucky him.” Callie scooted back into the corner of the couch and curled her legs up under her. “I’d love to be at that game tonight. They’re playing the Red